Training apparatus for a bicycle

ABSTRACT

A training apparatus for a bicycle has a base, a transmitting device and a damping device. The base has a holding mount and a supporting frame. The transmitting device is mounted on the base and has an axle assembly, a rotating axle, multiple belt pulleys, a belt and a chain wheel group. The axle assembly is mounted through the supporting frame. The rotating axle is mounted through the supporting frame. The belt pulleys are mounted between the axle assembly and the rotating axle. The belt is mounted around the belt pulleys. The damping device is mounted on the base, is mounted around the rotating axle and has a damping wheel, a magnetizer and an adjusting assembly. The damping wheel is mounted around the rotating axle. The magnetizer is connected to the supporting frame around the damping wheel t. The adjusting assembly is connected to the supporting frame and the magnetizer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a training apparatus and moreparticularly to a training apparatus for a bicycle that can provide apreferred training effect, can reduce the abrasion of wheels of thebicycle, can reduce the noise in use and can save space when storing ortransporting the training apparatus.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

A conventional training apparatus for a bicycle has a base, threerollers and multiple belts. The rollers are rotatably mounted on thebase at intervals. The belts are mounted between the rollers to link therollers with each other. In use, a rear wheel of a bicycle is mountedbetween two of the rollers and a front wheel of the bicycle is mountedon the other one roller. When a person rides the bicycle, the rear wheelwill make the rollers rotating by the belts to simulate the actualriding status. However, the wheels of the bicycle are mounted betweenthe rollers of the conventional training apparatus, the height of thebicycle on the conventional training apparatus is higher than the actualheight of the bicycle on the ground. Then, the person needs a span toget with the altitudinal difference between the conventional trainingapparatus and the bicycle and this will influence the training effect ofthe person. Especially, the wheels of the bicycle are directly mountedon and abut the rollers and this will increase the abrasion of thewheels of the bicycle. In addition, the vibration that made from therotation between the wheels and the rollers will make noises.Furthermore, the conventional training apparatus is mounted below thewheels of the bicycle and has a large volume, then transporting andcarrying the conventional training apparatus is inconvenient.

Another conventional training apparatus has a supporting frame and aresisting roller. The supporting frame has two ends to hold the wheelaxle of the real wheel of the bicycle to support the rear wheel of thebicycle. The resisting roller is rotatably mounted on the supportingframe and abuts against the rear wheel. Then, a person can use theresistance force that provided by the resisting roller to train.However, the rear wheel of the bicycle is supported by the supportingframe and is higher than the front wheel of the bicycle, and this isdifferent from the actual riding status. Then, the training effect ofthe person will be influenced by the simulated riding status.Especially, the rear wheel of the bicycle is directly mounted on andabuts the resisting roller and this will increase the abrasion of therear wheel of the bicycle. In addition, the vibration that made from therotation between the rear wheel and the resisting roller will makenoises.

A training apparatus for a bicycle in accordance with the presentinvention mitigates or obviates the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a trainingapparatus for a bicycle that can provide a preferred training effect,can reduce the abrasion of wheels of the bicycle, can reduce the noisein use and can save space when storing or transporting the trainingapparatus.

The training apparatus for a bicycle has a base, a transmitting deviceand a damping device. The base has a holding mount and a supportingframe. The supporting frame is mounted on the holding mount. Thetransmitting device is rotatably mounted on the base and has an axleassembly, a major belt pulley, a rotating axle, a minor belt pulley, abelt and a chain wheel group. The axle assembly is mounted through thesupporting frame. The major belt pulley is rotatably mounted around theaxle assembly. The rotating axle is rotatably mounted through thesupporting frame below the major belt pulley. The minor belt pulley ismounted around the rotating axle. The belt is mounted around the beltpulleys. The chain wheel group is rotatably mounted around the axleassembly and is securely connected to the major belt pulley. The dampingdevice is mounted on the supporting frame of the base, is mounted aroundthe rotating axle of the transmitting device ad has a damping wheel, amagnetizer and an adjusting assembly. The damping wheel is securelymounted around the rotating axle opposite to the minor belt pulley. Themagnetizer is curved, is movably connected to the supporting framearound the damping wheel to provide a resistance force to the dampingwheel. The adjusting assembly is connected to the supporting frame andthe magnetizer.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a training apparatus for a bicycle inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the training apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an operational perspective view of the training apparatus inFIG. 1 when the training apparatus is mounted on a bicycle;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the training apparatus in FIG.3 mounted on the bicycle;

FIG. 5 is a cross section top view of the training apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the training apparatus in FIG.1;

FIG. 7 is a top view in partial section of the training apparatus inFIG. 4 mounted on the bicycle;

FIG. 8 is another exploded perspective view of the training apparatus inFIG. 2;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the trainingapparatus in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an operational side view of the training apparatus in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a training apparatus in accordance withthe present invention is used on a bicycle 4 having a rear fork 41 withtwo ends and two holding grooves 43, a chain 41 and a rear wheel 42, andthe training apparatus comprises a base 1, a transmitting device 2 and adamping device 3.

The base 1 has a holding mount 10 and a supporting frame 11. The holdingmount 10 is mounted on the ground and has a top surface. The supportingframe 11 is mounted on the top surface of the holding mount 10, may bedetachably mounted on the holding mount 10 and has a free end, a firstsidewall, an external surface, a second sidewall and an elongated hole12. The external surface of the supporting frame 11 is formed betweenthe sidewalls of the supporting frame 11. The elongated hole 12 isformed through the sidewalls of the supporting frame 11 between the freeend of the supporting frame 11 and the holding mount 10.

The transmitting device 2 is rotatably mounted on the base 1 and has anaxle assembly 20, a major belt pulley 21, a rotating axle 22, a minorbelt pulley 23, a belt 24, a chain wheel group 25, an idle wheel 26 andan adjusting screw 27.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the axle assembly 20 is mounted throughthe free end of the supporting frame 11, is used to hold the free endsof the rear fork 40 of the bicycle 4 and has a connecting sleeve 50, anaxle tube 51, an axle lid 52, a quick release shaft 55, an operatingstem 56, a clipping block 54 and a slide block 53. The connecting sleeve50 is securely mounted on the supporting frame 11 near the free end ofthe supporting frame 11, extends out of the second sidewall of thesupporting frame 11 and has an inner end, an outer end and an innerthreaded hole 500. The inner end of the connecting sleeve 50 is securelymounted in the supporting frame 11. The outer end of the connectingsleeve 50 extends out of the second sidewall of the supporting frame 11.The inner threaded hole 500 is formed through the ends of the connectingsleeve 50.

The axle tube 51 is securely mounted in the connecting sleeve 50,extends out of the ends of the connecting sleeve 50 and has a first end,a second end, an external surface, a first engaging section 510, an axlesection 511, a threaded section 513 and an axle hole 512. The first endof the axle tube 51 extends out of the first sidewall of the supportingframe 11. The second end of the axle tube 51 extends out of the secondsidewall of the supporting frame 11. The first engaging section 510 isformed in the external surface of the axle tube 51 near the second endof the axle tube 51 and engages one of the holding grooves 43 of therear fork 40 of the bicycle 4. The axle section 511 is formed on theexternal surface of the axle tube 51 near the first end of the axle tube51 and extends out of the first sidewall of the supporting frame 11. Thethreaded section 513 is formed around the external surface of the axletube 51 between the first engaging section 510 and the axle section 511and is screwed with the inner threaded hole 500 of the connecting sleeve50 to connect the axle tube 51 with the connecting sleeve 50. Then, theaxle tube 51 can be securely connected to the connecting sleeve 50 bythe engagement between the inner threaded hole 500 of the connectingsleeve and the threaded section 513 of the axle tube 51. In addition,different lengths, sizes and purposes (for roads bicycles, climbingbicycles, racing bicycles . . . etc.) of the axle tube 51 can bereplaced and connected to the connecting sleeve 50 easily andconveniently. The axle hole 512 is formed through the ends of the axletube 51.

The axle lid 52 is securely connected to the axle tube 51, is mountedaround the axle section 511 of the axle tube 51 and has an inner end, anouter end, a second engaging section 520 and a lid hole 521. The innerend of the axle lid 52 is connected to the first end of the axle tube51. The second engaging section 520 is formed around the outer end ofthe axle lid 52 and engages the other holding groove 43 of the rear fork40 of the bicycle 4. The lid hole 521 is formed through the ends of theaxle lid 52.

The quick release shaft 55 is mounted through the lid hole 521 of theaxle lid 52 and the axle hole 512 of the axle tube 51 and has a mountingend, a connecting end and a pivot segment 550. The mounting end of thequick release shaft 55 extends out of the second end of the axle tube51. The connecting end of the quick release shaft 55 extends out of theaxle lid 52. The pivot segment 550 is formed in the connecting end ofthe quick release shaft 55. The operating stem 56 is rotatably connectedto connecting end of the quick release shaft 55 and has an eccentricsegment 560 and a stem segment 561. The eccentric segment 560 ispivotally connected to the pivot segment 550 of the quick release shaft55. The stem segment 561 is formed with the eccentric segment 560 of theoperating stem 56 to enable the eccentric segment 560 of the operatingstem 56 to rotate relative to the quick release shaft 55.

The clipping block 54 is securely mounted around the mounting end of thequick release shaft 55, selectively abuts the corresponding free end ofthe rear fork 40 that mounted on the first engaging section 510 of theaxle tube 51 and has a screwed hole 540. The screwed hole 540 is formedthrough the clipping block 54 and is screwed with the mounting end ofthe quick release shaft 55.

The slide block 53 is mounted around the quick release shaft 55 betweenthe axle lid 52 and the operating stem 56 and has an outer side, acurved recess 530 and a through hole 531. The outer side of the slideblock 53 faces the eccentric segment 560 of the operating stem 56. Thecurved recess 530 is formed in the outer side of the slide block 53 andabuts the eccentric segment 560 of the operating stem 56. The throughhole 531 is formed through the slide block 53 and is mounted around thequick release shaft 55 between the axle lid 52 and the operating stem56.

According to the above mentioned, the free ends of the rear fork 40 canbe securely mounted between or separated from the engaging sections 510,520 of the axle tube 51 and the axle lid 52 easily and conveniently byoperating the stem segment 561 of the operating stem 56 to enable theclipping block 54 and the slide block 53 to clip or unloose the freeends of the rear fork 40.

The major belt pulley 21 is rotatably mounted around the axle section511 of the axle tube 51 at the first sidewall of the supporting frame11. The rotating axle 22 is rotatably mounted through the supportingframe 11 below the major belt pulley 21 and has a pulley end and a wheelend. The pulley end of the rotating axle 21 extends out of the firstsidewall of the supporting frame 11. The wheel end of the rotating axle22 extends out of the second sidewall of the supporting frame 11. Theminor belt pulley 23 is mounted around the pulley end of the rotatingaxle 22.

The belt 24 is mounted around the belt pulleys 21, 23. The chain wheelgroup 25 is rotatably mounted around the axle section 511 of the axletube 51 between the major belt pulley 21 and the axle lid 52, issecurely connected to the major belt pulley 21 to enable the major beltpulley 21 to rotate with the chain wheel group 25 and has multiple wheeldisks. The wheel disks have different diameters. The chain 41 of thebicycle 4 is mounted around one of the wheel disks of the chain wheelgroup 25. The idle wheel 26 is rotatably mounted on the supporting frame11 between the belt pulleys 21, 23, abuts the belt 24 and has an idlewheel axle 28 mounted in the elongated hole 12 of the supporting frame11. The adjusting screw 27 is mounted through the external surface ofthe supporting frame 11, extends into the elongated hole 12 and isscrewed with the idle wheel axle 28 of the idle wheel 26. Then, theelasticity of the belt 24 between the belt pulleys 21, 23 can beadjusted by moving the idle wheel axle 28 relative to the elongated hole12 of the supporting frame 11 to change the position of the idle wheel26.

With reference to FIGS. 2, 8 and 9, the damping device 3 is mounted onthe supporting frame 11 of the base 1, is mounted around the rotatingaxle 22 of the transmitting device 2 ad has a damping wheel 30, amagnetizer 31 and an adjusting assembly 32. The damping wheel 30 is madeof magnetic metals, is securely mounted around the wheel end of therotating axle 22 at the second sidewall of the supporting frame 11opposite to the minor belt pulley 23. The magnetizer 31 is curved, ismovably connected to the second sidewall of the supporting frame 11around the damping wheel 30 to provide a resistance force to the dampingwheel 30.

The adjusting assembly 32 is connected to the supporting frame 11 andthe magnetizer 31 and has a fixing disk 33, an operating bar 34, aspring sheath 35, a spring 36, a ball 37, a linking arm 38 and apositioning bolt 39. The fixing disk 33 is securely mounted on thesecond sidewall of the supporting frame 11 adjacent to the rotating axle22 and has multiple positioning holes 330 and a fixing hole 331. Thepositioning holes 330 are formed through the fixing disk 33 atintervals. The fixing hole 331 is elongated and is formed through thefixing disk 33 above the positioning holes 330.

The operating bar 34 is rotatably connected to the fixing disk 33 andhas a lower end and an upper end. The lower end of the operating bar 34is rotatably connected to the fixing disk 33. The upper end of theoperating bar 34 upwardly extends out the fixing disk 33.

The spring sheath 35 is mounted securely on the operating bar 34 andfaces the fixing disk 33. The spring 36 is mounted in the spring sheath35. The ball 37 is movably mounted in the spring sheath 35, is pushedagainst the spring 36 and engages in one of the positioning holes 330 ofthe fixing disk 33. The linking arm 38 is connected to the operating bar34 and the magnetizer 31. The positioning bolt 39 is mounted through thefixing hole 331 of the fixing disk 33 and the operating bar 34 and issecurely connected to the linking arm 38 to limit the angle between theoperating bar 34 and the linking arm 38.

With reference to FIG. 10, when the operating bar 34 is rotated relativeto the fixing disk 33, the magnetizer 31 will move close to or far awaythe damping wheel 30 by the linking arm 38 connecting to the operatingbar 34 and the magnetizer 31. Then, the resistance force between themagnetizer 31 and the damping wheel 30 can be adjusted by rotating theoperating bar 34. In addition, the positioning bolt 39 needs to beloosen before rotating the operating bar 34 relative to the fixing disk33, and needs to be fastened after the operating bar 34 moving to adesired position to fix the operating bar 34 and the linking arm 38securely. Furthermore, when the operating bar 34 rotates relative to thefixing disk 33, the ball 37 is moved with the operating boar 34 andengages in one of the positioning holes 330 of the fixing disk 33 toprovide a positioning effect to the operating bar 34.

In use, with reference to FIGS. 3 and 7, the rear wheel 42 of thebicycle 4 is separated from the rear fork 40, the holding grooves 43 ofthe rear fork 40 are respectively mounted around the engaging sections510, 520 of the axle tube 51 and the axle lid 52, the chain 41 of thebicycle 4 is mounted around one of the wheel disks of the chain wheelgroup 25. Then, the rear fork 40 of the bicycle 4 can be held on thesame height as the height of the rear wheel 42 mounted on the rear fork40 and this can simulate the actual riding status to improve thetraining effect of the person. Especially, during the training period,the rear wheel 42 is separated from the rear fork and the trainingapparatus in accordance with the present invention and this can preventthe rear wheel 42 from wearing and tearing during the training period.In addition, the minor belt pulley 23 is rotated with the major beltpulley 21 via the belt 24 and the rotating inertia force of the majorbelt pulley 21 is fitted with the moving inertia force of the bicycle 4.Then, the training status of the training apparatus can be simulated toclose the actual riding status and this can provide a preferred trainingeffect to the person.

Furthermore, the chain 41 of the bicycle 4 is mounted around one of thewheel disks of the chain wheel group 25 and this can reduce the noise.Additionally, the training apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention is directly mounted on the rear fork 40 of the bicycle 4 andthis can reduce the volume of the training apparatus and is convenientin transporting and carrying.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the presentinvention have been set forth in the foregoing description, togetherwith details of the structure and features of the invention, thedisclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details,especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts withinthe principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by thebroad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims areexpressed.

1. A training apparatus for a bicycle having a rear fork with two endsand two holding grooves, a chain and a rear wheel, and the trainingapparatus having a base; having a holding mount mounted on the groundand having a top surface; and a supporting frame mounted on the topsurface of the holding mount and having a free end; a first sidewall; anexternal surface formed between the sidewalls of the supporting frame;and a second sidewall; a transmitting device rotatably mounted on thebase and having an axle assembly mounted through the free end of thesupporting frame, being adapted to hold the free ends of the rear forkof the bicycle; a major belt pulley rotatably mounted around the axleassembly at the first sidewall of the supporting frame; a rotating axlerotatably mounted through the supporting frame below the major beltpulley and having a pulley end extending out of the first sidewall ofthe supporting frame; and a wheel end extending out of the secondsidewall of the supporting frame; a minor belt pulley mounted around thepulley end of the rotating axle; a belt mounted around the major beltpulley and the minor belt pulley; and a chain wheel group rotatablymounted around the axle assembly near the major belt pulley, securelyconnected to the major belt pulley to enable the major belt pulley torotate with the chain wheel group and having multiple wheel disks withdifferent diameters to enable the chain of the bicycle to mount aroundone of the wheel disks of the chain wheel group; and a damping devicemounted on the supporting frame of the base, mounted around the rotatingaxle of the transmitting device ad having a damping wheel made ofmagnetic metals, securely mounted around the wheel end of the rotatingaxle at the second sidewall of the supporting frame opposite to theminor belt pulley; a magnetizer movably connected to the second sidewallof the supporting frame around the damping wheel to provide a resistanceforce to the damping wheel; and an adjusting assembly connected to thesupporting frame and the magnetizer to enable the magnetizer to moveclose to or far away the damping wheel to adjust the resistance forcebetween the magnetizer and the damping wheel.
 2. The training apparatusfor a bicycle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axle assembly has aconnecting sleeve securely mounted on the supporting frame near the freeend of the supporting frame, extending out of the second sidewall of thesupporting frame and having an inner end securely mounted in thesupporting frame; and an outer end extending out of the second sidewallof the supporting frame; an axle tube securely mounted in the connectingsleeve, extending out of the ends of the connecting sleeve and having afirst end extending out of the first sidewall of the supporting frame; asecond end extending out of the second sidewall of the supporting frame;an external surface; a first engaging section formed in the externalsurface of the axle tube near the second end of the axle tube to engageone of the holding grooves of the rear fork of the bicycle; an axlesection formed on the external surface of the axle tube near the firstend of the axle tube and extending out of the first sidewall of thesupporting frame; and an axle hole formed through the ends of the axletube; an axle lid securely connected to the axle tube, mounted aroundthe axle section of the axle tube and having an inner end connected tothe first end of the axle tube; an outer end formed around the outer endof the axle lid to engage the other holding groove of the rear fork ofthe bicycle; a second engaging section; and a lid hole formed throughthe ends of the axle lid; a quick release shaft mounted through the lidhole of the axle lid and the axle hole of the axle tube and having amounting end extending out of the second end of the axle tube; aconnecting end extending out of the axle lid; and a pivot segment formedin the connecting end of the quick release shaft; an operating stemrotatably connected to connecting end of the quick release shaft andhaving an eccentric segment pivotally connected to the pivot segment ofthe quick release shaft; and a stem segment formed with the eccentricsegment of the operating stem to enable the eccentric segment of theoperating stem to rotate relative to the quick release shaft; a clippingblock securely mounted around the mounting end of the quick releaseshaft, selectively abutting the corresponding free end of the rear forkthat mounted on the first engaging section of the axle tube and having ascrewed hole formed through the clipping block and screwed with themounting end of the quick release shaft; and a slide block mountedaround the quick release shaft between the axle lid and the operatingstem and having an outer side facing the eccentric segment of theoperating stem; a curved recess formed in the outer side of the slideblock and abutting the eccentric segment of the operating stem; and athrough hole formed through the slide block and mounted around the quickrelease shaft between the axle lid and the operating stem; the majorbelt pulley is rotatably mounted around the axle section of the axletube at the first sidewall of the supporting frame; and the chain wheelgroup is rotatably mounted around the axle section of the axle tubebetween the major belt pulley and the axle lid.
 3. The trainingapparatus for a bicycle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connectingsleeve has an inner threaded hole formed through the ends of theconnecting sleeve; and the axle tube has a threaded section formedaround the external surface of the axle tube between the first engagingsection and the axle section and screwed with the inner threaded hole ofthe connecting sleeve to connect the axle tube with the connectingsleeve.
 4. The training apparatus for a bicycle as claimed in claim 3,wherein The adjusting assembly has a fixing disk securely mounted on thesecond sidewall of the supporting frame adjacent to the rotating axleand having multiple positioning holes formed through the fixing disk atintervals; and a fixing hole being elongated and formed through thefixing disk above the positioning holes; an operating bar rotatablyconnected to the fixing disk and having a lower end rotatably connectedto the fixing disk; and an upper end upwardly extending out the fixingdisk; a spring sheath mounted securely on the operating bar and facingthe fixing disk; a spring mounted in the spring sheath; a ball movablymounted in the spring sheath, pushed against the spring and engaging inone of the positioning holes of the fixing disk; a linking arm connectedto the operating bar and the magnetizer; and a positioning bolt mountedthrough the fixing hole of the fixing disk and the operating bar andsecurely connected to the linking arm to limit the angle between theoperating bar and the linking arm.
 5. The training apparatus for abicycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the supporting frame has anelongated hole formed through the sidewalls of the supporting framebetween the free end of the supporting frame and the holding mount; andthe transmitting device has an idle wheel rotatably mounted on thesupporting frame between the belt pulleys, abutting the belt and havingan idle wheel axle mounted in the elongated hole of the supportingframe; and an adjusting screw mounted through the external surface ofthe supporting frame, extending into the elongated hole and screwed withthe idle wheel axle of the idle wheel.
 6. The training apparatus for abicycle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the supporting frame isdetachably mounted on the holding mount.